SSAAM Virtual Gospel Music Concert

Saturday, February 20, 2021

Featuring nationally-recognized entertainer and concert artist,

Keith Spencer!

The Concert will feature music by baritone, Keith Spencer, interspersed with fascinating facts about African American history, the Sourlands, Gospel Music and Negro Spirituals, presented by Board Members and Staff of SSAAM and the Sourland Conservancy.

All proceeds from this event will support the construction of a Sourland Education & Exhibit Center for the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum and the Sourland Conservancy. This Center, which will be located adjacent to the historic-register listed Mt. Zion AME Church on Hollow Road in Skillman, will enable our organizations to better achieve our missions by providing space for educational programs, exhibitions and offices.

​

For tickets please click here. Before the event, you will receive an exclusive link to access the virtual, pre-taped video, which will be available on YouTube for 24 hours.

Keith Spencer, Baritone

Originally from Philadelphia, Mr. Spencer is a nationally-recognized entertainer and concert artist. National tour highlights include the Broadway Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Music of the Night with Betty Buckley and Melissa Manchester. Favorite roles include Coalhouse Walker, Jr. (Ragtime); Joe (Show Boat); The Abolitionist (For the Glory: The Civil War Musical); Audrey II (Little Shop of Horrors); Leading Player (Pippin); Billy (Carousel). In the Philadelphia-region, he has enjoyed performances at several venues, including Bristol Riverside Theatre, Act II Playhouse, The Prince Music Theatre, Hedgerow Theatre, and The Broadway Theatre of Pitman. 

Mr. Spencer has developed a series of programs celebrating the African-American cultural experience and music performed by renowned African-American artists. These programs include We Shall Not Be Moved - A Tribute to the Music of the Civil Rights Era, The Robeson Songbook - A Negro Spiritual and Gospel Celebration of the Music of Paul Robeson, That Old Black Magic - Celebrating the ``Cool`` of Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis, Jr., Billy Eckstine, and Johnny Hartman, and Brothers on Broadway - Celebrating the African-American Leading Men of Broadway. 

Grateful to God for all things in His time. Keep up with Keith's upcoming performances at:

Keith's Website     Facebook    Instagram

The SSAAM was joined by over 100 of our closest friends at the AMC Hamilton 24, for a private screening of the premiere of "Harriet". It is an excellent biopic about the abolitionist, and most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad, Harriett Tubman. The movie is a gripping and long overdue portrayal of her life; we highly recommend it to any of our SSAAM friends who couldn't make it lto the event.

Special thanks to SSAAM trustee and treasurer Catherine Fulmer Hogan, who did a yeoman's job of organizing this event- it wouldn't have been possible without her!

October 12 & 13, 2019, marked the annual Somerset County Weekend Journey through the Past. The SSAAM was pleased to participate in the event, as we welcomed some one hundred guests to the Mt. Zion AME on Hollow Rd in Skillman, NJ.

During the two days of the event, our visitors discovered the history of our church and organization, as well as the centuries-old history of African Americans in the region. They heard about our recent, exciting developments about the church restoration and land preservation, and listened to our distinguished invited guests and donors.  Our visitors got to try out some of our new technology that we use to tell our story, (Oculus VR glasses and listening stations), as well as creating some tokens of their visit at the crafts table. Even Mother Nature joined us, with two days of perfect autumn weather!

It was a great event and we thank all who participated. We hope to see you again next autumn!

SSAAM President John Buck opens the weekend and welcomes our guests.

John and Sourland Conservancy President Dante DiPirro discuss recent land preservation efforts and futrue plans at the SSAAM site

Patricia Payne, whose family (the True family) donated the land for the Mt. Zion AME Church, back in the late 1800s, visited the church during Weekend Journey Through the Past. Patricia’s incredibly generous donation carries on the tradition of her family’s support for the church and for the mission of the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum. As an alumna of Lesley U. in Cambridge, MA, it was delightful for me to meet and speak with Patricia, retired librarian at Lesley!

It was great to see Tom D’Amico, Somerset County Supervising Planner and Cultural and Heritage Commission Historic Sites Coordinator, at the event. Tom spoke about the large (and largely unacknowledged) role of African American troops in American wars. Thanks for the support, encouragement and kind words, Tom!

We had the pleasure of chatting with this gentleman. Bob Vaucher is 101 years old. He learned about our project when he was honored alongside Beverly Mills and Sharon Elaine Buck by D & R Greenway and wanted to come out to see all the work being done at SSAAM.

​

The was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force and a Combat Pilot in WWII. Well, I googled Bob and what we learned was remarkable. At the age of 99, he led a group of concerned citizens who fought to preserve a 32 acre parcel of land in Bridgewater where George Washington had some 2,000 troops encamped during the winter of 1778-1779. Bob and his team raised 100,000 of private funds. That coupled with grants, public gifts and a support from the town gave them the 1.9 million they needed to stop the developer from building 17 houses on the site.

Bob is an inspiration and a reminder that it is never too late to do important work. We were so pleased to have him come out and support the work of SSAAM.

He can be seen here purchasing If these Stones Could Talk from Co-Author and SSAAM Advisory Board member, Beverly Mills.

Aliens at the Mt Zion AME Church in Montgomery Township? No, it’s Jason Buck and Kevin Burkman (SSAAM board member) trying out our new Virtual Reality devices.

The Sourland Conservancy's Tatiana Fulmer (above)

led the activities at our craft table. At right, the Conservancy's Executive Director Caroline Katmann and President Dante DiPirro display their craft creations.

All photos and text by SSAAM trustees Caroline Katmann, Catherine Fulmer-Hogan and Kevin Burkman

On Sunday, September 15, 2019, the SSAAM came alive with the sounds of traditional hymns and fellowship, courtesy of the Montgomery Evangelical Free Church of Belle Mead, New Jersey! It also included a brief history of the Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church and its founder, Reverend Richard Allen from Mother Bethel in Philadelphia, which was provided by SSAAM President John Buck.

Many thanks to the church’s Senior Pastor Brian Cooper, its music minister Mark Hahn, and Jesse Havens, for orchestrating the event.

John Buck, President of the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM)  along with  Elaine Buck and Beverly Mills, members of the SSAAM Advisory Board, were honored at the 30th Anniversary Gala of the D&R Greenway Land Trust on May 11, 2019.  Since its founding in 1989, the mission of the D&R Greenway is "to preserve and care for land and inspire a conservation ethic, now and forever."  Today, in celebration of 30 years of land preservation, stewardship and community, the Greenway has preserved to date 300 properties and 20,000 acres.  

In presenting the Land Stewardship Award to John, Elaine and Beverly, D&R President and CEO Linda Mead stated that because of their commitment to the creation of SSAAM and Beverly and Elaine's book about the African American settlement on the Sourland Mountain, John, Elaine and Beverly were more than deserving to be recognized for "creating a place to celebrate diversity and the land."

John, Elaine and Beverly expressed their appreciation and look forward to their continued partnership with the D&R Greenway, Montgomery Township Open Space Committee and the Sourland Conservancy in acquisition of the land to create the Rock Brook Greenway, the Mt. Zion AME Church property and to Phase II to create the SSAAM and Sourland Conservancy "campus." 

Beverly Mills

Photos by Jason Buck